Weft arrangement for wrap knitting machines

ABSTRACT

There is provided a weft arrangement for warp knitting machines comprising a weft thread guide having an orifice open at one end thereof for the take-up and pay-out of the weft thread. The weft thread guide is provided with a transport arrangement stretching the length of the weft path which permits the weft thread guide to move back and forth across this path.

United States atent I191 1111 3,862,552

Bergmann 1 1 Jan. 28, 1975 541 WEFT ARRANGEMENT FOR WRAP 2,130,236 9/1938 Holtz 66/84 KNITTING MACHINES 374579? [75] Inventor: Gerhard Bergmann, Hausen,

Germany [73] Assignee: Karl Mayer Textilma schinenfahrik GmbH, Obertshausen. Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 346,558

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 30 1972 Germany 2215676 [52] U.S. Cl 66/84 A [51] Int. CL. D04b 23/06, D04b 23/08, D04b 23/10 [58] Field 0f Search 66/84, 85, 86

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.680614 8/1928 Hill et a1 66/84 UX 7/1973 Bergmann 66/86 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 223342 10/1924 Great Britain 66/84 Primary lixuminerRonald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Omri M. Behr [57] ABSTRACT There is provided a weft arrangement for warp knitting machines comprising a weftthread guide having an orifice open at one end thereof for the take-up and pay-out of the weft thread. The weft thread guide is provided with a transport arrangement stretching the length Of the weft path which permits the weft thread guide to move back and forth across this path.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIED JAN 2 8 I975 SHEET 4 0F 5 Pmmmmw 3.862.552

Fig 8 WEFT ARRANGEMENT FOR WRAP KNITTING MACHINES DESCRIPTION OF THE .PRIOR ART In the arrangement of the prior art the thread guide is not only moved back and forth in the direction of the weft path but'is also moveable in a manner which enables it to pick up and release the weft thread. This drive is achieved by means of gear segments which interact with a gear rack at each end of the weft path. This arrangement is complicated and prone to break down. Furthermore, it is not always possible to pick a specific weft threadfrom a weft thread group in order to vary the pattern. It is therefore desirable to avoid the necessity for a coupling means which would require the movement of the weft thread guide to be interrupted when the weft is omitted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the apparatus of the present invention there are provided thread layers at each end of the weft path. There is also provided a thread guide means which is rigidly connected with the transport arrangement which moves the guide means back and forth in the guide path. Furthermore, thread guide edges are provided at both sides of the eyelet opening of the thread guide means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the arrangement of the present invention. I

FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the device of the present invention viewed from 22.

FIG. 3 shows another side elevational view of the device of the present invention viewed from 3-3.

FIGS. 4-6 show the apparatus of FIG. 1 at different points in the cycle.

FIG. 7 is a prospective view of the thread layer drive mechanism, and

FIG. 8 is another prospective view illustrating the details of the weft supply mechanism, the hold-down pin drive means, and the pattern control steering mechanism for the weft guide.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The basic elements of the device of the illustrated embodiment comprise a weft thread 2, a transportation means 1 and thread layers 7. The weft guide 2 comprises a body portion 21 and a head portion 22 and is attached to carrier segment 20. The head portion 22 is substantially triangular having a eyelet 6 provided in the apex thereof. Said eyelet 6 having an opening located substantially at the apex of the head portion 22. The head portion 22 is also provided with guiding edges 12. Carrier has channels journaled therethrough and guide tubes 3 set axially into channels 30. In the upper surface of carrier 20 is cut a shallow channel 28. There is also provided block 24 with shallow channel 26 cut in one surface thereof. There are also provided means. (not shown) for clamping block 24 to carrier 20, Upon the body of the warp knitting machine adjacent to and parallel to the weft path are provided a pair of guide rails 4 which pass axially through tubes 3. Transport means 1, suitably a wire, rope or the like, is laid in channels 28 and 26 and clamped between block 24 and 20, whereby motion in the axis of transport means 1 is transferred to weft guide 2 causing it to move back and forth along guide rails 4.

At each end of the weft path are provided a plurality, suitably a pair of thread layers 7. These thread layers 7 are substantially J-shaped and are, if desired, provided with an extension 17 parallel to the long portion of the J extending in a direction opposite to that of the short end of the J. If desired, said thread layer 7 may be provided with a further hook means 16 attached to the long portion of the J and directed towards the short end thereof tending to but not closing the gap therebetween. These thread layers are mounted in the warp knitting machine with their shafts in a plane substantially parallel to that in which the guide portion 20 travels. Thread layers 7 are moveable about an axis parallel to said plane of movement and their path along said axis is controlled by control means which are not illustrated. There are further provided thread guide bars 13 which, if desired, may have a portion 14 directed in the line of the weft.

The operation of the arrangement is illustrated by the sequential consideration of FIGS. 1 and 4 through 6. In the sequence as discussed the weft guide 2 is considered in FIG. 1 to be moving towards the left and thread layer 7' to be oriented in such a manner that orafice 6 will intercept thread 5'. After interception of thread 5' the weft thread guide carrier continues to move to the left into the position shown in FIG. 4. The carrier 20 then reverses its direction at which time the thread layer 7' is moved readwardly, that is to say, in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5 whereby the thread slips out of said thread layer. In the course of the travel of the weft thread guide 2 towards the right, thread 5 is at the same time laid over holding pin 19 and carried towards the right of the machine as illustrated in FIG. 6. During the course of the cycle holding pin 19 is raised so that the laid weft thread is placed in a higher position and the weft inserter may rapidly move rearwardly under the weft thread. As soon as the weft thread guide 2 has moved to the right-hand extreme of its path the holding pins 19 rotate about their axis and lay the weft thread upon the regular sinkers. Thereafter, the weft ins'erters push the weft thread forwardly in front of the latch needles which are then bound in, in the subsequent stitch formation.

The thread guide 2 has in the meantime again reversed its direction to travel in the leftward direction towards the left-hand thread layers. If it is desired on this next cycle to omit the weft thread, the thread is still laid into the open hook of the thread layer, however, when the weft thread guide reaches the intercept position at theend of the run, the thread layer 7 is moved forwardly, that is to say, in the direction opposite to that shown by arrow A in FIG. 5, and the weft is automatically pulled out of opening 10 as soon as the weft guide 2 moves to the right. On the other hand, if it is desired to lay a weft on this cycle, then the control means for the thread layer is moved forwardly so that the weft thread guide 2 can move with the thread in an unhindered fashion.

If in place of utilizing four threads, that is to say, one on each of the thread layers 7, three or less weft threads are employed. The weft thread may be moved from one thread layer on one side, to a thread layer on the other side by means of the weft thread guide.

The pattern control steering means and associated control mechanism for the thread layers 7 and 7' is illustrated in FIG. 7. The machine timing movement of weft layer 7 is determined by the configuration of patterned chain 32. Patterned chain 32 is similar to conventional patterned chains such as that described in the Eat. to Bassist No, 3,410,113. Such patterned chains are familiar with those of ordinary skill in the art. The patterned chain 32 is driven by a source of rotary energy of a conventional nature but not shown. A cam follower 34 rides over the contour of chain 32 and imparts theresulting motion to push-rod 36. Push-rod 36 in turn drives a lever 38 which is connected to push-rod 40. Push-rod 40 is connected to lever 42 which is joined on the same rotatable shaft as lever 44. Lever 44 in turn acts on push-rod 46 which activates thread layer 7. In short, the pattern on chain 32 is transmitted via elements 34, 36, 38, 42, 44, and 46 directly to thread layer 7. In a like fashion the movement of thread layer 7 is controlled by pattern chain 32, elements 34, 36, 38', 42, 44. and 46'. The movement of thread layers 7 and 7' can be altered to produce any desired pattern by substituting the appropriate pattern chain 32. It will be appreciated, of course, that another pair of thread layers 7 and 7' are utilized at the other end of the machine. These thread layers are not illustrated in FIG. 7 but can be seen with reference to FIG. 8. The movement of the thread layers of 7 and 7 shown in FIG. 8 is achieved in the same fashion as the movements of the thread layers as shown in FIG. 7, except that the motion transmitting rods extend across the length of the machine for the thread layers shown in FIG. 8. According to the preferred embodiment, four patterned chains are used to control the movement of the four thread layers. For purposes of simplicity, only two of the four patterned chains are numbered in FIG. 7. A reversing motor or a motor with a reversing clutch are examples of prior art devices of the sort well known to those of ordinary skill in the art that would be suitable in the embodiment of this invention.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed effective and efficient embodiments of the invention, it

should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiments as there might be changes made in arrangement, disposition, and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended with the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A weft laying arrangement for warp knitting machines having a predetermined weft thread path comprising;

a. a weft thread guide means.

b. transport means rigidly affixed to said guide means, said transportation means causing the guide means to move back and forth in said predetermined weft path,

0. a plurality of weft thread laying means said laying means being located in predetermined positions in the machine relative to the weft thread path,

d. pattern controlled steering means for said laying means attached to each of said laying means for moving said laying means forwardly and rearwardly relative to said weft thread path.

2. A weft laying arrangement according to claim I wherein the weft thread guide means comprises a head portion having an eyelet therein, said eyelet being open at one side thereof to permit take-up and payout of the weft thread.

3. A weft laying arrangement according to claim I wherein the said weft thread guide means head comprises convergent thread leading edges on either sides or the said eyelet said edges subtending an acute angle to each other.

4. A weft laying arrangement according to claim I further comprising yarn rods at each end of the weft path.

5. A weft laying arrangement according to claim I wherein the weft thread laying means are substantially .l-shaped.

6. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said weft thread laying means are provided with an extension parallel to the long portion of the J extending in a direction opposite to that of the short end of the .I attached to said short end. 

1. A weft laying arrangement for warp knitting machines having a predetermined weft thread path comprising; a. a weft thread guide means, b. transport means rigidly affixed to said guide means, said transportation means causing the guide means to move back and forth in said predetermined weft path, c. a plurality of weft thread laying means said laying means being located in predetermined positions in the machine relative to the weft thread path, d. pattern controlled steering means for said laying means attached to each of said laying means for moving said laying means forwardly and rearwardly relative to said weft thread path.
 2. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the weft thread guide means comprises a head portion having an eyelet therein, said eyelet being open at one side thereof to permit take-up and payout of the weft thread.
 3. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the said weft thread guide means head comprises convergent thread leading edges on either sides of the said eyelet said edges subtending an acute angle to each other.
 4. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising yarn rods at each end of the weft path.
 5. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the weft thread laying means are substantially J-shaped.
 6. A weft laying arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said weft thread laying means are provided with an extension parallel to the long portion of the J extending in a direction opposite to that of the short end of the J attached to said short end. 